Jhoot Bole, Kauwa Kate
by Anita
Summary: Even the truth is a lie. A few drabbles for Welcome To Sajjanpur, Luck By Chance, Saawariya, Bhoothnath, What's Your Raashee?, U Me Aur Hum, Dil Bole Hadippa, Rock On!, Billu Barber and Love Aaj Kal.


Here are a bunch of drabbles for ten different Bollywood films (Welcome To Sajjanpur, Luck By Chance, Saawariya, Bhoothnath, What's Your Raashee?, U Me Aur Hum, Dil Bole Hadippa, Rock On!!, Billu Barber, Love Aaj Kal). Obviously there are spoilers for all of those movies. This time they are actually drabbles, because I wrote them all with a word count rounding to the nearest hundred. So, the ficlets are exactly 100, 200, 300 or 400 words. The theme I randomly assigned myself was 'lies'. Please read and review, I would be extremely grateful!

* * *

**Jhoot Bole, Kauwa Kate**

--

**Welcome To Sajjanpur**

Mahadev hears the gentle groan of train wheels pushing hesitantly against rusted tracks. All around him are people rushing this way and that, pushing towards their futures, racing to their next destinations.

It didn't take long for the lies to add up.

But Kamla is so enchanting, so stunning; she is just as lovable as he had alwaysremembered her to be. Her smile still looks as beautiful as heaven.

And every time he sees her cry Mahadev's heart burns like the fires of hell.

She had such faith in him; Kamla had willingly given him her childlike trust. Her tears were because of him, because of his deceit.

This time, as he watches Kamla's tears flow freely down her cheeks, he feels heat in his chest once more. These tears are again his to claim, but they are not painful, they do not sting. They are the tears of her friendship, of her appreciation. Of her love.

The train moves and speeds Kamla out of Mahadev's life. He will be alright. It will take some time, but he will be just fine, he knows this for a fact.

All Mahadev ever really wanted was for Kamla to be happy.

--

**Luck By Chance**

Vikram Jaisingh was not born a liar, but the big bad city of Mumbai can destroy even the most innocent. He is advised to lie if he wants to stay competitive; no dalliances or affairs. He is paid to lie, to keep his good name out of the tabloids, or in them, depending on what kind of PR his next film needs. He has no one in his life that he has never lied to; there is no one left in his life to tell him the truth.

Sona Mishra has been lied to her whole life. Her parents almost had her married off without a word of warning. Satish Chowdhury deceived her; he used her and threw her aside like a useless piece of trash. And none of it really bothered her. She always held her head higher and carried on. But when Vikram lies to her, it breaks her heart. Even the truth in his eyes feels like an act and she suddenly realizes that she has never wanted anything as badly as he does.

Maybe that is why their paths have to part. Maybe this is why the love she once felt for him is no more.

--

**Saawariya**

Sakina's mother is a strong woman, filled with love, compassion. And an otherworldly patience.

Her mother weaves stories (dreams) of a rajkumar, a saviour, a beloved; she tells tales so fanciful, so unbelievable.

The problem is that Sakina believes.

* * *

In the years after, Sakina cradles her own child close to her. She holds her soft, sweet miracle carefully in her arms.

When the nights are cold and her child sighs in boredom, Sakina tells her daughter a story of a prince, of an angel, of a true love.

But in her story, it is Sakina who leaves.

--

**Bhoothnath**

"Banku, you can't take this with you to school." Aditya chastised his son, holding up the comic book he had found in Banku's backpack. "Your mother and I would like you to at least attempt to learn something while you're in class."

"But I –"

"No buts, Banku." Aditya placed the comic book on the kitchen table. "Hurry up and brush your teeth."

Banku scampered off to the sink, frowning as he put the toothbrush in his mouth.

"Is there something wrong, Banku?" A voice rang out.

"Bhoothnath, daddy won't let me bring my comic book to school." Banku complained.

"Is that all?" Bhoothnath gave a small grin and disappeared before Banku could get another word out.

"Banku!" Aditya called. "What did you do with your comic book?"

Banku made his way downstairs. "Nothing papa, I was brushing my teeth."

"It was on the kitchen table and now it's not…" Aditya studied Banku closely. "Tell me the truth, did you take it?"

Banku spotted Bhoothnath's figure in the kitchen and suppressed a smile. "How could I have taken it, I was upstairs the whole time."

"I know that but –" Aditya stopped short as he saw the comic book had returned to its original place on the table.

"See, it's right there, daddy. I didn't do anything!"

Aditya tilted his head, scrutinizing his son's innocent expression. "Banku, since the mukti ceremony you haven't seen any ghosts around the house, have you?"

Banku's gaze lingered momentarily on the man standing behind his father. Bhoothnath raised a finger to his mouth, indicating silence.

"There are no such things as ghosts, na? And besides, Angel has become a Star-Angel now!" Banku replied resolutely.

Aditya ran a hand through his hair before letting his shoulders fall in defeat. "Yes, of course."

"If we don't leave soon, I'll be late for school." Banku reminded his father.

"Right. Go back upstairs and call your mother. We can all go to your school together."

Banku ran off, but not before flashing a quick thumbs-up to Bhoothnath when his father had turned his back.

Aditya shook his head in disbelief. His son was a troublemaker, but there was no way he could have gotten a hold of his comic book while he was upstairs.

The drapes swayed, catching Aditya's eye and adding to his confusion.

Aditya turned his attention back to the kitchen. The comic book was...

Gone.

--

**What's Your Raashee?**

When Vishakha heard the news, announced with great pomp, "Yogesh weds Sanjana", she smiled and gave her congratulations. Good for Yogesh. He chose the woman he wanted and was now a happily married man.

But Vishakha could not let go of the 'what if?' that lingered in her heart. She had liked Yogesh, she really had. To ensure that he liked her too and didn't just want her money, she had acted outrageously. Any man would have rejected her and, rightly so, Yogesh did.

Sometimes though, she wondered if it had been the biggest mistake of her life. Only sometimes.

--

**U Me Aur Hum**

Ajay doesn't think of it as lying. Piya doesn't know that some days she cannot remember which dishes are his favourite. Piya doesn't realize that sometimes she looks at the pictures of when they met on a cruise ship and doesn't recall the trip at all. Piya doesn't understand that some days she can barely recognize their son. What Piya doesn't know can't hurt her.

So Ajay remains silent. He doesn't tell her. He would rather see that smile on her face, even if the happiness is misplaced and unreasonable. Even if his own heart sinks deeper, grows heavier.

It isn't lying. It is simply an omission.

* * *

Piya sits idly on the sofa, having only awoken from sleep a few minutes earlier. She hears Ajay open the front door, returning from some errand.

He steps into the room.

"Piya?"

"How bad was I yesterday, Ajay?" Piya asks. She doesn't have any memory, but she can feel it in her gut. Something had happened.

Ajay lets the groceries in his hand shift. "You had forgotten that our son is already four years old." He answers quietly. "At the cricket game you tried to take Mrs. Khurana's baby from her. You thought he was our son."

Piya looks away in disgust. She is frustrated, ashamed and helpless. It is the things that she can't remember that hurt the most.

"Is he mad at me?"

"I don't know." Ajay confesses.

Piya looks back up into her husband's eyes. She sees pain, fear, confusion, but no guilt.

"Thank you, Ajay."

"For what?" He sighs, shaking his head. Ajay sinks into the seat next to her. "I'm miserable, I'm tired, I'm useless and I miss my wife. So much."

Piya takes his hand and squeezes. "Thank you for telling me the truth."

--

**Dil Bole Hadippa**

Veera had made Rohan a promise. She had told him that she would give his proposition an answer in her own style, her _tashan_. Veera giggled, wondering if Rohan even knew what the word meant.

She had spent all morning setting up for her date with Rohan. Veera admired her work. A large blanket spread out in the middle of the open field with a perfect view of the puppet play stage. Veera loved watching _kathputhlis_ and she wanted to share that experience with Rohan. This was her answer.

This feeling, this was going to be nothing but the truth.

--

**Rock On!!**

Sakshi clears the dishes from table, fumbling for anything to say to her husband, Aditya.

"When will you be coming home?"

"Late."

"Oh. Do you have –"

"Another evening meeting." Aditya interrupts. "We need to finalize the merger."

Sakshi nods. His words aren't cold or clipped, but he barely speaks two words unless she pries it out of him. She doesn't blame Aditya. She knows he loves her. The pressure of his new executive position at the investment banking firm…

He turns to leave. "Aditya?" Sakshi ventures.

"I'm fine."

Neither Sakshi nor Aditya mention that his words clearly ring untrue.

--

**Billu Barber**

Their hearts were pure. Shining gold.

Sahir sat in the schoolyard, alone, watching the children around him open their tiffin boxes filled with naan, rice and sweets. Crestfallen, Sahir made his way towards the small fountain that water sometimes trickled out of. It would have to be enough.

Until a small boy tapped Sahir on his back and offered half of his lunch.

"Shukriya." Sahir thanked him quietly.

He was Billu, the closest friend Sahir would ever have.

"Mention not." Billu would always reply with a big smile.

They would sneak into Billu's father's barber shop and Billu's small hands would maneuver the scissors deftly in Sahir's hair.

"Now you look just like Rajesh Khanna!" Billu would announce proudly and Sahir would agree.

Billu buys Sahir a ticket to Mumbai. "Soon you will be a star, Sahir. The next time I see you will be on the big screen." Sahir's hands shake as he takes the ticket from his friend.

Billu is so honest; he can even make a lie sound like the truth.

He came into the world with nothing, but to him, Billu's friendship is everything.

Sahir knows, without a doubt, that Billu's heart is pure.

Shining gold.

--

**Love Aaj Kal**

Of course Jai is a bloody idiot when they finally say their goodbyes, rambling on about chatrooms and SMSes. Meera doesn't care. She wraps him in a tight hug and closes her eyes.

The way he looks at her, it doesn't feel like goodbye.

She doesn't know whether she wants to kiss him, slap him, or keep on holding him. Forever.

Instead she turns and walks away. Walks into the dark night until she can force thoughts of Jai Vardhan Singh out of her mind.

She can't.

* * *

They are at a New Year's Eve party, with other dates, and Meera texts Jai, telling him to meet her in the courtyard. Alone.

That bastard Vikram proposed to her. But wait, why is he a bastard? Jai hasn't even met him yet.

Meera's looking at him with her sharp eyes, full-on and serious. Jai laughs, but it feels hollow.

She's telling him to leave. To never speak to her again. There is no way she is serious; this must be some kind of joke.

Jai kisses her because it's what they were always good at. Not because he wants to.

"_Listen, Meera_ _–_"

"_Bye._"

* * *

That idiot Jai, he's rambling again. And Meera is standing, listening to him, on her wedding night.

"_I'm absolutely fine, okay? There's nothing to worry about_."

She doesn't want to hear this.

"_Soulmates._"

Meera hates him. Why is he saying all of this now? She doesn't need to hear this.

"_Kya pata, Meera? Kya pata?_"

But it's all true.

* * *

Jai runs without stopping.

"_Humein saath rehna hai, to isi janam mein saath rehna hai. Kya bolti?_"

Meera smiles and it breaks his heart.

"_Angle naya hai. Isse aur discuss karna chahiye."_

Then she cries. And they know it's love.

* * *

Written for my challenge at 7virtues, where Humility was my prompt. This was my last fic for that challenge! Feedback is much appreciated. :)


End file.
